when to start doing prenatal/antenatal classes
- Thread starter NewBabyLA
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hi there, we're expecting our first baby end of september and we took the antenatal class with family zone back in June (you can find the details in the event calendar of geobaby).
When we register they asked us the due date and recommended us to take the course in July, but with family from overseas in town over the summer, we decided to take it a bit earlier and does find it quite useful to get more information in advance. That course does cover information on various topics from birth plan to baby basics.
If you are looking for something with practical exercise, the government hospitals (we are registered with QMH) provide antenatal exercise class (in english) and i'm going to have my last class next week. They have signed me up upon my first checkup at the public clinic, and if I remember correctly all classes must be completed by week-32. There are 5 classes from covering relaxation, comfort measures, breathing techniques, pushing, birth balls etc...
Hope this helps.
When we register they asked us the due date and recommended us to take the course in July, but with family from overseas in town over the summer, we decided to take it a bit earlier and does find it quite useful to get more information in advance. That course does cover information on various topics from birth plan to baby basics.
If you are looking for something with practical exercise, the government hospitals (we are registered with QMH) provide antenatal exercise class (in english) and i'm going to have my last class next week. They have signed me up upon my first checkup at the public clinic, and if I remember correctly all classes must be completed by week-32. There are 5 classes from covering relaxation, comfort measures, breathing techniques, pushing, birth balls etc...
Hope this helps.
Hi,
I'm due early November and signed up for the ante-natal class in August. In general, it's recommended to start around week 28, but there is no fixed rule for that.
Since I'm planning to give birth at Adventist Hospital, I've registered for their childbirth class. Some of my friends however are attending the class at Matilda Hospital and some go for the one at Annerley. Don't know which one is the "best" though...
I'm due early November and signed up for the ante-natal class in August. In general, it's recommended to start around week 28, but there is no fixed rule for that.
Since I'm planning to give birth at Adventist Hospital, I've registered for their childbirth class. Some of my friends however are attending the class at Matilda Hospital and some go for the one at Annerley. Don't know which one is the "best" though...
I did mine at 35 weeks and to be honest I thought they were a complete waste of money. I gave birth in Matilda and the nurses there taught me everything I needed to know once the baby was born - you can find so many books and online talks about ittheses days. We spent nearly 3000 on them and I should have just spend it on a good massage or first aid class instead
I suppose If you are thinking of going to public hospital they are useful but then again I'd just spend this money on a good duala.
The worst part was this horrible birth video from the 80ties that made us all laugh really hard! I suppose it all depends how good the midwife teaching is.
good luck
I suppose If you are thinking of going to public hospital they are useful but then again I'd just spend this money on a good duala.The worst part was this horrible birth video from the 80ties that made us all laugh really hard! I suppose it all depends how good the midwife teaching is.
good luck
I started at 31 weeks- the other women in my class were the same stage.
Agree that a lot of the information on labour, pain relief etc you can get from books these days (although I'd be somewhat wary of the internet as some sites can be full of scare stories, opinion presented as fact, anecdote as data, or very evangelical on certain topics- i.e natural is best, breast is best etc). I think the benefit of antenatal classes is that they make you aware of HK peculiarities (such as them tending to want you at the hospital v early, tendency to medicalise things,) and raises issues you may want to discuss with your Obs/ MW or to include in a birth plan if you're doing one or have very strong ideas about how you want to give birth.
Check the itinery for the class you want to attend- if you want a completely natural birth (no drugs at all) then Annerley do a hypnobirthing course which would probably be more useful to you than the trad courses. They also do a more trad one which covers all the pain relief options and also standalone breathing courses so you can pick and mix. Annerley have a very good rep. They are quite pro-natural but not to the extent that you're going to feel like a leper if it's not for you.
Matilda do one off "baby basics" courses (1 x 3hr session- there's one on 5 Aug) which covers practicalities.
Agree that a lot of the information on labour, pain relief etc you can get from books these days (although I'd be somewhat wary of the internet as some sites can be full of scare stories, opinion presented as fact, anecdote as data, or very evangelical on certain topics- i.e natural is best, breast is best etc). I think the benefit of antenatal classes is that they make you aware of HK peculiarities (such as them tending to want you at the hospital v early, tendency to medicalise things,) and raises issues you may want to discuss with your Obs/ MW or to include in a birth plan if you're doing one or have very strong ideas about how you want to give birth.
Check the itinery for the class you want to attend- if you want a completely natural birth (no drugs at all) then Annerley do a hypnobirthing course which would probably be more useful to you than the trad courses. They also do a more trad one which covers all the pain relief options and also standalone breathing courses so you can pick and mix. Annerley have a very good rep. They are quite pro-natural but not to the extent that you're going to feel like a leper if it's not for you.
Matilda do one off "baby basics" courses (1 x 3hr session- there's one on 5 Aug) which covers practicalities.
Liquorice- probably not as useful, agreed. That said, most of the courses include at least one session on feeding and another on the practical aspects (ie once you find yourself standing in your living room holding a bawling thing and thinking "Oh God, what do I do first?")
It might be cheaper just to go to separate one off sessions for these though.
It might be cheaper just to go to separate one off sessions for these though.
i'd have to agree with mela... those ante natal classes were not useful for me at all, and i thought the time would be better spent resting.
when i went into contractions, i don't remember anything from those classes cuz i was in so much pain. the midwives at the hospitals will tell you exactly what to do and when / how to push etc.
after the baby arrives, the midwives again will show you exactly what to do, how to bathe, breast feed, change diapers, etc...
when i went into contractions, i don't remember anything from those classes cuz i was in so much pain. the midwives at the hospitals will tell you exactly what to do and when / how to push etc.
after the baby arrives, the midwives again will show you exactly what to do, how to bathe, breast feed, change diapers, etc...
But are you having the home visits before or after the birth? The first 3x2 hr sessions of the Annerley classes focus on labour, pain relief options and the actual birth, so would be a bit late to discuss when you're already holding the baby!
If you're having a c-section and then home visits, prob not worth doing, esp if you also want to FF as Annerley std antenatal course doesnt cover this.
If you're having a c-section and then home visits, prob not worth doing, esp if you also want to FF as Annerley std antenatal course doesnt cover this.
I started prenatal music classes when i was into my 27th week. The teacher recommended that, for music classes, the best time to start would be after wk 20, when pregnancy is more stable and when baby's able to hear sound from the womb. The level of movement of the class is not too much for me, so i guess i wouldn't mind starting even earlier.
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